Amid special-session slog, Perry heading to NY (UPDATE)

Update:
Perry’s northeast tour to stir up business interest in Texas starts Sunday, but Perry in answering questions after a bill signing mentioned he’s leaving the state on Friday. He will speak to the Faith and Family Coalition’s Road to Majority conference in Washington on Saturday, spokeswoman Allison Castle said.

Previous post:After calling lawmakers into slow-moving special session to deal with redistricting, Gov. Rick Perry is leaving the state for an economic development trip to New York and Connecticut.

His trip will be June 16 (his last day to sign or veto bills approved in the regular session) through June 20, according to his office.

Two television spots costing $1 million began running there Monday ahead of this trip, according to his office. Yes, that’s unsuccessful 2010 Democratic gubernatorial candidate but successful businessman Farouk Shami in one:

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Perry’s office said the ad buy and the trip are paid by TexasOne so “no state tax dollars will be used for his travel and accommodations, or for the ad buy.”

TexasOne is a public-private partnership that is managed by the governor’s office, and as my colleagues Patricia Kilday Hart nad Lise Olsen have reported, it’s financed partly by local governments or their economic development corporations, which get their funding through sales taxes.

Taxpayers do foot the bill for the travel costs of his security team, which were particularly high when he traveled the state during his presidential run. Perry spokeswoman Lucy Nashed said there’ll be no change in that: “He is governor 24/7 no matter where he goes.”
This trip comes after Perry trips earlier this year to California and Illinois.